Learning never stops…

Monthly Archives: December 2017

Inspired by the ‘Happier with Gretchen Rubin’ podcast, (Episode 147, here) I have developed my own list of 18 things that I want to try during 2018 – #18for2018.The invisible task on my list is to focus on my work-life balance, so you may notice that the majority of these are based around my personal life, not my work/school life!

Try a pottery class

Start a compost bin/worm farm

Go to the gym at least twice a week

Ring my 2 best friends once a month (this should not even need to make it to the list, however I’ve been so SLACK!)

Run 3km (not a huge achievement for most, but for this asthmatic, HUGE)

Try one of the self-guided classes at my gym

Read 12 books and document them on GoodReads

Learn conversational French (as you may have read on my blog earlier, I’m teaching French from Year 1-8…oui oui!)

Finalise all name changes from my wedding…

Learn to make kombucha

Run a DoTERRA oils class to teach others about the benefits of using essential oils

Cull my old school supplies – at least the 4 boxes that I haven’t opened since leaving classroom teaching in 2015

I was asked by my Principal a few months ago if I’d be interested in running a STEM class. While I’m not 100% behind the concept of running STEM as a separate class because I feel that it should be fully integrated, due to needing an additional elective for Year 7/8 and a few other staffing conditions, I said yes!

This means that I’ll be teaching a STEM elective for a composite Year 7/8 class. There are 3 different 7/8 classes meaning that I’ll teach the same content for Term 1, 2 and 3 to the groups as they rotate through and then Term 4 will be different, as students opt-in to the elective of their choice in the final Term.

For the Year 9/10 class however, student opt-in to it from the beginning, so I have them all year. This is where it gets a bit scary. Year 7/8 content I feel like I can handle for the most part…but Year 9/10? My High School Science skills are fairly limited and rusty beyond all belief and regarding High School Maths…well, I can add numbers and work out angles and percentages…that’s all I need right? I’m not so stressed about the Technology & Engineering aspects, so that’s my little comfort factor.

To fully push me out of my comfort zone beyond all belief, I’m teaching French. FRENCH. From Year 2-Year 8. To be honest, I accepted the request to teach it (I had the option to say no…) and I am excited about it, but it’s going to be a steeeeeep learning curve. I know a few French words, like crêpe, baguette, croissant…but they are all foods, which surely can’t take up the entire curriculum? French podcasts, here I come! Plus apps, puppet shows, comic strips…eeeek!

Teaching something out of your comfort zone next year? Let me know!

And good on you – the world is a better place for taking on a good challenge!